Watermelon rotting in fields sans buyers

Chamarajanagara: Watermelon growers in this district are in distress owing to no demand due to Covid-19 lock down. According to sources more than 2000 farmers grow water melon in district with area of 2500 hectares approximately. The district is agriculture- oriented and consists of small and marginal farmers. Farmers depend upon dairy farming and mixed crop for livelihood. But the lockdown has pushed them to distress.

Speaking to The Hans India on Monday, Prasanna, a farmer in Chennalinganahalli in Hanur taluk said that he has grown water melon in his four acres of land. But no buyers came so far owing to lockdown, he did not harvest the crop which is wasting away on the fields. He said he could get at least one lakh rupees profit if buyer purchases at Rs 5 per kilo. But the brokers did not come. Though the district is sharing border with Tamil Nadu and Kerala which have demand for water melon the goods vehicles are not coming forward to transport agriculture produces. Another farmer in Hanur, Rajashekara revealed that he had grown water melon

in two acres but it has already rotted in field. He said not only this year, farmers incurred huge losses during last years covid lock down also. He said last year he grown plantain in his land. But heavy wind and rain collapsed planton plants completely. Revenue authorities visited the spot , estimated loss and went promising compensation. But the compensation hasn't come so far. He said if lock down happens during every year how farmers could survive?

The district is most backward one in State. But lock down and incessant rain fall destroyed crop last year.

Many farmers bulldozed water melon crop to prepare to grow other crop for next season. They are urging state government to compensate them to grow next crop.